Imagine buying your dream home, moving in all your belongings — including your family heirlooms and antiques — and losing the works to an apparent electrical fire after a mere week. And on top of it all, the home wasn’t insured yet because of impending Hurricane Irene. It’s a tragic — yet true —...

On July 23, Martin Codina of Fine Estate Sales and Liquidation and I had the opportunity to talk with Debra Santavicca during her online radio show, The Peddler Hour. Based in the Philadelphia area, Santavicca provides a national buy-sell-trade platform and takes the opportunity to introduce and talk to experts in various antiques and...

It’s not every day photos arrive at our offices that make our heads tilt to one side like a dog hearing a high-pitched whistle. This gadget, however, is as weird as they come. “I bought this at an antique store in Southern Indiana a couple of months ago. It is 15 inches tall. I...

The most coveted lot in Jeffrey S. Evans‘ June 25 auction was an important pair of circa 1800 Shenandoah Valley of Virginia watercolor and ink birth records for Joseph Stover Spengler (1790-1876) and his sister Margaret Spengler (1799-1848), of Strasburg, Shenandoah Co., Va. The pair sold for a remarkable $103,500. One certificate was...

Remember that urge to dig you had as a child? Some people never grow out of it. I don’t blame them because there’s treasure buried under the dirt and ash that fill 18th and 19th century privy and cistern holes. Back in 2009 I had a chance to talk in depth with privy digger...

Marilyn Monroe – perhaps the most famous movie star in recent memory – and her famous white dress from “The Seven Year Itch,” shown in background of this photograph – is considered to be one of the greatest movie costume icons of all time. I had the privilege of appraising this dress, among many...

Available at shop.collect.com BURBANK, Calif. — Continuing their long tradition of organizing specialty shows, Caskey Lees has announced a new vintage costume jewelry and vintage fashion event scheduled to debut July 10 at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank. More than 60 exhibitors will showcase collections offering everything from new, vintage and estate gold and gemstone...

Antiques show promoters have to roll with the punches. Besides having to work with hundreds of exhibitors they also have to make an event smooth and enjoyable for thousands of attendees. Hold your event outside and all bets are off. In spite of all her staff’s best efforts and simply put, an amazing array...

Bidders from nine states and Quebec, Canada, descended on Garner Auctioneers‘ May 27-28 auction of Americana, wrenches, walking plows and horse drawn equipment and carriages. The Carrollton, Ohio, firm said the auction required three rings selling at the same time on both days. The May 27 sale featured one ring devoted entirely to Winchester...